The present invention relates generally to bird feeders. More specifically, the present invention relates to bird feeders for dispensing peanuts, and the like. Such a bird feeder, commonly known as xe2x80x9cpeanut feedersxe2x80x9d, are well suited for providing feed to woodpeckers, nut hatches, chickadees and other similar birds.
Prior art peanut feeders typically include a tubular wire body with a top opening and a bottom opening. The wire body provided resilient and rugged containment for dispensing feed, such as peanuts. A bottom cap is affixed to the wire body at the bottom opening to support a perch. The bottom cap is typically secured to the wire body by fasteners, such as screws. Seed deflection inserts are commonly used to urge feed to the openings in the wire body. A top cap is provided to cover the top opening and a bail wire is used to hang the feeder. Typically, the wire body is quite flexible resulting in a feeder that may flex in an undesirable fashion, particularly when the feeder is grasped during the loading of new feed therein.
Further, the bottom and top openings are very sharp because they are simply exposed edges of bare metal wire material. Since the feeder must be periodically re-filled, the top cap is removed and replaced frequently. The bare edges and the flexibility of the wire makes replacing the cap difficult because precise alignment of the top cap and the top edge of the wire body is required. There is also a particular concern in the typically sharp exposed top edge of the wire body because the user may be easily cut by this bare wire body during re-filling or replacement of the top cap on the wire body.
In view of the foregoing, there is a demand for a peanut bird feeder that is safer to use than prior art feeders. There is a demand for a peanut bird feeder that is safer to re-fill with feed than prior art feeders. In addition, there is a demand for a peanut bird feeder that is rigid and less apt to flex into undesired configurations as prior art feeders do. There is a demand for a peanut feeder that facilitates the removal and installation of the top cap onto the wire feeder body.
The present invention preserves the advantages of prior art bird feeders. In addition, it provides new advantages not found in currently available feeders and overcomes many disadvantages of such currently available feeders.
The invention is generally directed to the novel and unique bird feeder. The present invention relates to a peanut type bird feeder that includes a main body made of wire mesh material.
The peanut bird feeder of the present invention includes a tubular fabricated wire main body having a top open end and a bottom open end. The tubular main body is made of wire mesh material and has a bottom edge at its bottom open end and a top edge at its top open end. A bottom cap is attached to the bottom open end to enclose it. A tubular adapter sleeve is positioned in the top open end to protect and isolate the commonly sharp and dangerous top edge of the main body from the user. A top cap is removably positioned over the adapter sleeve to enclose the feeder to protect the feeder located therein. The adapter sleeve not only shields the user from a sharp and dangerous top edge of the mesh main body but also maintains the mesh main body in its original shape by avoiding flexing and bending of the mesh material of the main body.
In accordance with the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to provide a peanut bird feeder that makes a bird feeder with a mesh body more safe.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved peanut bird feeder that retains its shape.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved peanut bird feeder that is easier to use.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved peanut bird feeder that is easier to open, fill with feed and close.